Injury and Violence Prevention Branch

The North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries and the second leading cause of nonfatal injuries for people over 65. The North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition brings together researchers, planners, health care providers, housing specialists, aging services providers, and many others to work together to reduce the number of falls and fall-related injuries for North Carolinians.

For more information about the North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition please contact Ellen Schneider at the University of North Carolina Institute on Aging or Sharon Rhyne at the North Carolina Division of Public Health.

Founding Partners

Along with the founding partners, a large number of organizations are committed to preventing falls and have become members of the North Carolina Falls Prevention Coalition to work to address the problem. As of May 2009, member organizations include:

AARP

Advanced Home Care

Age Mark (AIF‐ Dementia Care)

Amedisys Home Health & Hospice

Appalachian Regional Health Care

System

Association for Home & Hospice Care NC

Be Active NC

Blue Ridge Physical Therapy

Carolina Geriatric Education Center

Carolinas Center for Injury Prevention

Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence

Carolinas Healthcare System

Chatham County Council on Aging

Community Care of North Carolina

Duke University

Duke University Health System

East Carolina University

Eastern Carolina Injury Prevention Program

Eastern Chatham Senior Center

Forsyth Medical Center

Gaston College

Genesis Rehab Services

GlaxoSmithKline

Healthy Carolinians

High Point Regional Health System

Housing Works / Universal Design

Institute

Mecklenburg Safe Communities

Mobile Rehab

Moses Cone Health System

Moses Cone Outpatient Rehabilitation

NC Association of Local Health Directors

NC Department of Insurance

NC Division of MH/DD/SAS

NC Division of Aging and Adult Services

NC Division of Public Health

NC Division of Services for the Blind

NC EMS Administrators

North Carolina Hospital Association

NC Occupational Therapy Association

NC Office on Disability and Health

NC Physical Therapy Association

NC State University Novant Health

Piedmont Triad COG Area Agency on Aging

Pitt County Fall Prevention Task Force

Safe Kids North Carolina

Southeastern Regional Advisory Committee on Trauma

The Hearing Clinic, Inc.

Turning Point Social Marketing National Excellence

Collaborative

UNC Center for Aging and Health

UNC Division of Physical Therapy

UNC Greensboro

UNC Injury Prevention Research Center

UNC Institute on Aging

UNC School of Medicine

UNC School of Pharmacy

Western Carolina University

Western NC Partnership for Public Health

Wilmington RAC

Wilson County Emergency Medical Services

Goals

The Coalition is working to address the following six goal areas:

1) Infrastructure Development and Maintenance

Establish and maintain a statewide Falls Prevention Coalition of key state, regional, and community stakeholders to systematically identify needs, resources and successes and to build capacity for falls prevention throughout the state.

2) Community Awareness and Education

Develop and apply effective social marketing materials and practices to engage and better inform the public and specific constituencies about falls risks and proven strategies to reduce falls.

3) Provider Education

Identify, develop, and implement training programs at state, regional, and community levels for both clinical and community providers to raise falls prevention awareness and enable them to plan, deliver and evaluate effective evidence-based falls prevention programs and practices/interventions.

4) Risk Assessment and Behavioral Intervention

Create and implement plans to identify and establish necessary complements of risk assessment and intervention strategies at the state, regional and community levels to address the varying and diverse needs of those at risk for falls.

5) Surveillance and Evaluation

Monitor the growth and outcomes of falls prevention initiatives. Evaluate and disseminate findings and lessons learned from the process and outcomes of the initiative on at least an annual basis. Use information and conclusions to set new goals and strategies for upcoming year and seek resources to continue falls prevention activities.

6) Advocacy for Supportive Policies and Environments

Assess, advocate, and facilitate the development of policies, environments, and resources that advance falls prevention.